SEATTLE (Feb. 5) - Junior center Dana Bottoms scored 10 of her career-high 22 points in the final four minutes to lift the UAA women's basketball team to an 85-72 victory over Seattle Pacific at the Royal Brougham Pavilion Saturday afternoon. UAA (15-5, 10-3 Pac West) also got double-figure scoring from four others, while SPU (13-6, 5-5) was led by 17 points each from Ashley Miller and Heidi Umthun.
The Seawolves broke open a close game by going on a 16-4 run over the last four minutes. In a game that featured 15 lead changes, UAA took the lead for good with 11:36 remaining on Catherine Hale's three-pointer that made it 56-54. SPU got within 69-68 on Gus Balogh's three-pointer with 4:46 left, but the Seawolves put the defensive clamps on and made 10 of 12 free throws down the stretch to pull out the victory.
Catherine Hale, who came off the bench for the first time this season, scored 14 points on 6-of-8 shooting, including both of her three-point attempts. Stephanie Smith scored 12 and Julie Chambers and Tirzah Church each netted 11 as the Seawolves beat SPU in Seattle for the first time in nine tries.
UAA shot 54.7 percent (29-53) for the game, aided by their 15-for-23 (65.2 percent) effort in the second half. The Seawolves went 6-for-10 on three-pointers as Church sank 3 of 5 attempts. The 85 points was the most UAA has scored since the first game of the 1998-99 season. UAA outrebounded SPU 42-28.
Tiffany Massey made just her third start this season and put together another superb all-around effort with 9 points, 8 rebounds, a career-high 6 assists, 4 steals and a blocked shot.
UAA, ranked No. 3 in the NCAA Division II West Region, returns home to take on No. 4 Montana State-Billings Thursday at 6 p.m. at the Sports Center.
